Even a Doctor Can't Heal a Broken Heart
by rockmysocks456
Summary: Elliot broke off her engagement with Keith. He needs some help getting over her. But will anyone help him out?
1. Chapter 1

_* Please read and review! (If you want to watch the episode where Elliot breaks up with Keith it's called, My Own Worst Enemy, Season 7 Episode 1._

* * *

Keith sat there, in the locker room, head in his hands, wondering what he'd done wrong. He'd been dating Elliot Reid for months, and finally thought, it's time to propose. Now, the proposal had gone wrong, mind you, but Elliot being the crazy person she is, had it put right in the end. They were engaged. Keith could hardly believe it, he was going to be married.

Of course, that was yesterday. Today, he was not going to be married. He was alone. He remembered the event vividly.

* * *

He was crossing the parking lot to his car when Elliot called to him, hurrying towards him.

"Keith!"

He turned around, a grin forming on his face from the sight of his fiance, "Hey there, future Mrs. Dudemeister!"

Elliot let out an obviously fake laugh along with a matching fake smile and said, "Actually, I'm not sure we decided whether or not I'm gonna take your last name."

She sighed and continued, "You know what, that's not important... Keith... we need to talk."

Keith was confused, "What's the matter?"

She took a deep breath and said, "I don't even know how to start this... Keith, I've been thinking... I think that... I've wanted to be married so long, I just took the first offer I got- Well except for that Brazillian guy in ninth grade but that doesn't matter... The point is, I don't think I can go through with this. I'm sorry."

And as Keith stood frozen, his expression very similar to someone who was about to be hit by a truck, Elliot did the worst possible thing she could do. She slid the beautiful ring off her finger, and handed it back to Keith with nothing more than an apologetic look.

She turned and walked back towards the hospital, and Keith head bowed as he gripped his hair, wondering _why?_

* * *

But that was yesterday, and he had to move on and forget. But he couldn't. He regretted how he'd treated Elliot that day. Each time he passed her in the hallway he'd greet her with a rude comment that usually included the word "whore". But at the same time he could extend no sympathy. She'd hurt him so badly, and she continued to parade about the hospital as if what they were, had never existed.

Last night had not been kind to him either. He was exhausted. He'd spent the night sitting home alone, wondering why... He didn't realize how long it'd been until his alarm went off and he saw it was 7:00 AM.

Elliot could walk around, smile on her face, eyes sparkling with that beautiful blue, while he barely made it through the day, shadows beneath his eyes and devastation etched across his face.

It did not help that everyone else acted the same way Elliot did. As if he'd never meant anything to them. There was no one in the hospital that cared enough to tell him he'd be okay. No one to sit him down and tell him it was natural to feel the way he did and that it'd pass. No one cared about him.

When he wandered about the hospital, an air of gloom following him where ever he went. But now, here he was sitting on a bench in the locker room, face covered by his hands, utterly, and completely, alone.


	2. Chapter 2

_* Glad you liked the last chapter! Keep reading and PLEASE keep reviewing!_

* * *

-_Carla-_

Carla had to admit, she felt a little guilty for watching when Keith had his heart publicly ripped apart. However JD was right, they weren't the only ones. Everyone in the hospital who'd heard ran over to a window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the event the same way they'd hoped to see the proposal. (Which incidentally most of them did.)

Carla felt even more guilty about the fact that she'd forgotten about Keith. Everyone had. Everyone had felt bad for Elliot who had to break the news to him. But Carla now thought it odd that no one felt any sympathy for the one who recieved the news. He had done nothing wrong, Elliot just wasn't ready for the kind of commitment she thought she was.

* * *

-_JD-_

JD had been secretly hoping for the break up to occur ever since Elliot started dating Keith. And part of him was cheering inside. Another part of him wanted to kick the shit out of the cheering part for being so okay with the fact that a fellow male had just been dumped so hard. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes staring off into space as he had a short fantasy...

_Two JD's were standing in the hospital parking lot. One had pom-poms and was jumping around waving them in the air over a devestated Keith. The other was wearing boxing gloves, ready to fight the other. _

_"You wanna fight you punkass?" The boxing JD yelled._

_"No, no, don't hurt me, I'm celebrating victory!" Pom-pom JD cheered and then explained, "Get it, 'cuz 'me' and 'victory'rhyme kind of, it was cheer. Made it up myself."_

_"RAWWWWWR!" Other JD shouted and started attacking the other._

"Damn you tough JD." JD said snapping out of his imagination.

* * *

-_Elliot-_

Elliot smiled, striding about the hospital with confidence. It was a lovely day, and she had gotten all she wanted to off her chest. She couldn't imagine how anybody could look so sad. Especially Keith. She rolled her eyes as she passed him and coughed, "_Whore."_ He was such a child. Name calling. Honestly. He'd get over it. Elliot had, so Keith could too. Yes, that sounded right.

* * *

-_Keith-_

Keith had completely forgotten about going home. He was still deep in self pitying thought, head in his hands, eyes itching with exhaustion. Five words echoed across his mind over and over in a cruel arrogant repetition. _What did I do wrong?_

* * *

-_Carla-_

Sitting there at the nurse's station, she absently handed off a new patient's chart to JD.

"Hey, Bambi, have you seen Keith? His shift ended an hour ago but I never saw him leave."

JD shrugged, "Haven't seen him."

Carla sighed, frowning. Where was he? Being such a nosy person as she is, Carla decided to find out. She walked down the hall, each person she passed she asked the same question.

"Have you seen Keith?"

All of them replied the same thing, "Nope, sorry Carla." Except for the Todd who said, "Which part of him? Oh! Sex five!"

It was only when Carla asked Nervous guy, Doug, that she got a sufficient answer.

"Last I saw him he was going in the locker room."

Carla nodded with a thanking smile, and redirected her course towards the locker room. She paused outside of it. Hoping to God that the Todd wouldn't be in there, Carla entered.

"Keith?" She called. No answer.

"Keith? Keith," She spotted him, sitting on the bench with his head in his hands. She sighed and said again trying to get his attention, "KEITH."

He shifted slightly, and his head starting dipping down and it snapped up as he awoke, startled. She grabbed his shoulders and sat him up straight making sure he didn't fall.

"Wh-? Oh, er- hi, Carla." Keith said quickly, rubbing his palms into his eyes.

Carla looked at him uncertainly, "Weren't you supposed to go home an hour ago?"

Keith looked shocked by hearing how long he'd been there. He tried to play it off, Carla wasn't buying it.

"Er- yeah, I just guess I forgot..."

"Are you okay, Keith?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm-I'm good."

Carla knew he was lying. The shadows beneath his eyes had darkened and it seemed time was not yet healing the pain from the break up.

"Keith... You didn't do anything wrong, Elliot just wasn't ready." Carla said firmly, disregarding his response.

"I-I don't care, that's- I wasn't even- Elliot who? Pshh, I don't even- Dammnit, I had to have done something wrong!"

But before Carla could reassure him that he didn't, he got to his feet and mumbled, "I gotta go, Carla. I'll see you later."

As it turns out, the very thing Keith wanted, someone to care, is just what he's pushing away from. Though deep inside he wants it. But he can't find it in himself to accept that he feels so alone, so desperate for someone to tell him it was all a bad dream and he and Elliot are still getting married. But he knew that wouldn't happen.


	3. Chapter 3

_* READ AND REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!_

* * *

Keith sat on the end of his bed, in his apartment, still wearing his scrubs. _Alone... alone... alone._ That's all he felt right now. He wanted, _needed_ help right now. But he'd push that away. The offer was subtle, imbedded in a statement, "_Keith... You didn't do anything wrong, Elliot just wasn't ready._" He knew by the tone in Carla's voice that she was offering to talk about it. But for some reason he didn't understand himself, he'd pushed away, pretending nothing was wrong, and that he'd be just fine without any help at all.

But he did need help. He could deny and deny but the dark sense of devestation loomed over him, choking him with it's tight grip. He was facing the stereotypical depression one of these kinds of break ups brings. Though he was exhausted, he couldn't sleep. Though he wanted help, he wouldn't accept any. And above all, he was constantly making snide remarks at his ex, to hide the fact that he still very much cared for her.

He would always care for her... Though she'd broken his heart seemingly beyond repair, even though she'd ripped out his heart while everyone in the hospital was watching, he still cared for her. He didn't know why he did, or how he could, but he did.

* * *

One of the best and worst things about Carla was that she was good at telling everyone what to do when someone needed help.  
She was sitting in the hospital cafeteria with JD, Turk, and Dr. Cox (Elliot was out for lunch with her mother that particular day.) and she hastily cut off JD as he tried to begin a conversation about gummi bears.

"Guys, listen to me. Keith is going through a rough time because of the break up so here's what we're gonna do. JD, stop flirting with Elliot so openly, and you and Turk are gonna have a talk with him, Dr. Cox don't even try rubbing this in his face. Got it?"

"I had no intention of bothering Ken about the loss of his dear Barbie, but now I reh-heh-healy think he doesn't need, nay, _want_ our help." Dr. Cox said simply.

"Yeah, I don't think Keith wants any sympathy from the guy that's the reason behind the break up." Turk added.

Carla shook her head, "You guys! Whether you like it or not, you know I'm right and while Keith isn't our _best_ friend, we've still gotta help him out!"

Each male at the table was thinking similar to the same thing. Keith didn't need their help, he'd be fine. Why was Carla making such a big deal out of this? But just as they thought alike, the three men said simulataneously, knowing this was the only acceptable answer to give,

"Fine."

Carla smiled and left.

* * *

Later that evening JD and Turk were discussing a way they could talk with Keith, however, Dr. Cox took them along with him and went for a more direct approach. In fifteen minutes they were all standing outside Keith's apartment door. Dr. Cox knocked. Keith, sighing opened the door and said irritably,

"What do you guys want?"

"C'mon, Ken, we're going out." Dr. Cox said, physically pulling him out of his apartment.

* * *

"Four shots." Dr. Cox said, sitting at the bar, holding up four fingers to ensure the bartender got the message.

The bartender slid four shots of... Well no one could be sure but as long as it had alchohol in it, it was fine by Dr. Cox.

Keith, who had his head resting on his arms which were crossed on the bar, ignored his. Turk and Dr. Cox both downed theirs and JD sipped his own in a very feminine manner.

"Appletini please." JD said finally finished his shot, "Easy on the tini."

This small comment was what stirred the truely depressed Keith. He, Turk, and Dr. Cox all turned their heads towards JD, staring at him who merely shrugged and sipped his drink. Turk smirked and stifled a snigger, Keith smiled for the first time in days, and Dr. Cox sighed, shaking his head.

Though they all tried to hold in their laughter, it didn't last when JD said,

"Mmmm, you can really taste the apples."

The three men burst into laughter, Keith forgetting his troubles temporarily.

Perry Cox smiled. He knew from years of experience that any problem can be fixed by sitting at a bar with a complete nerd like John Dorian. Though, he himself would never admit it.


	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

Dr. Cox had long since gone home to pass out on his couch, and both JD and Turk thought it not smart to suggest otherwise. Keith was finishing his last shot, when he said, waving the empty glass around,

"I don't need E-Elliot. Know- You wanna know why?"

JD who had only had two appletinis was nowhere near as gone as Keith, and Turk always held his liquor well. They both were laughing at him, though Keith was too drunk to understand why.

"Why, Keith?" Turk asked mid-laugh.

"'Cuz she-she's the best thing- she's the best thing that ever happened t-to me." Keith said slowly, frowning as he did. But his frown faltered and his head hit the bar.

Turk and JD both turned to each other, both sobering quickly as they heard the seriousness of the statement Keith had just made before drifting into an alchohol induced (and probably the hitting his head on the counter also contributed.) unconsciousness.

"Dude..." Turk said, wide-eyed.

"I know..." JD replied slowly, guilt building.

He hadn't realized how much Keith loved Elliot until this point. Now, one can't always depend on the words of a drunken person, but the statement so honestly said, it had to be true.

JD had always loved Elliot. Probably as much as Keith. Maybe more. But he'd broken her heart. He remembered the events of a few days ago so vividly... He remembered laying in the on-call room beside Elliot as she confided in him her fears of commitment to Keith. And JD, at that time unaware of Keith's true feelings, had almost in a way, egged her on.

"C'mon, let's take him home." Turk sighed, yanking JD out of his thoughts.

"Yeah..."

They dumped Keith in the backseat of the car, taking their own positions in the front, and drove to Keith's apartment. They found his keys in his pocket and entered his apartment slowly, feeling almost like trespassers. Until they remembered they had the owner here, unconscious or not he was still present. Turk found his bedroom and deposited Keith onto it, JD however was looking at something in the living room.

"C'mon dude, I feel like a creeper in here." Turk said with a shiver.

"Turk, look at this..."

Turk took a seat beside JD on the couch and saw that he was looking at a photo album. There were pictures from when they'd first started dating, from the "spontaneous" proposal, from them in the hospital, from them running all their wedding related errands, and from their last days together.

The photo album had been lying open on the table, and JD noticed that their were only a few pictures from before Elliot and Keith had started dating. Keith had probably been planning to fill this album with pictures from the wedding, and their children, and of the family they would build... But Elliot had taken that all away from Keith, not to intentionally hurt him, but none the less, she'd taken it from him.

Turk sighed and closed the book. He crossed the room and returned it to a book shelf and motioned for JD to come with him, that they were leaving.

* * *

Keith woke up the next morning with a large lump on his head from where it'd hit the bar, and a pounding headache to match it. He laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

All he remembered from past about a dozen shots was:

"_She-She's the best thing- She's the best thing that ever happened t-to me."_


	5. Chapter 5

_Last chapter, READ AND REVIEW!_

* * *

JD knew he probably shouldn't mention any of this trying to help Keith, to Elliot but he found he couldn't let her go around not knowing what he'd said about her.

"Elliot, can we talk?" JD asked, running up to her in the hallway of the hospital.

"Sure, I guess..." Elliot said slowly as JD led her into the on-call room.

They took a seat on one of the beds and JD began,

"Elliot, last night, I was at the bar, with Turk and Keith- _Perry_ was there earlier but he had to go, he said he'd miss me- anyways, not the point, Keith said some things, about you."

Elliot shrugged not looking concerned, "So? I figured he'd have some rude comments for me-"

"Elliot he said you were the greatest thing that ever happened to him."

There was silence for a few moments, during which JD was sure Elliot was thinking over the guilt she felt. However this sureness faltered when Elliot said,

"What'd he say after that? That I was a whore? That he's better off without me?"

"Well, he didn't say much really, he passed out shortly after but the point is, Elliot, he was so serious about it."

Elliot paused a moment and considered what she'd just heard. She wished she hadn't heard it. She had hoped she'd been done with the whole thing once she broke off the engagement. But no. Of course Keith had to say things that reminded her of what it was like when she was with him.

* * *

Keith was sitting in his apartment, thinking over last night. Well what he could remember from it. When a knock came on his door.

"Yeah?" He called.

"Open the damn door before I leave."

It was... Dr. Cox? What was he doing here? Keith had no idea. He crossed the room and opened the door.

"Listen here. We all go through tough break ups. Yours being particularly hard since you were only weeks away from being married to yours. But you wanna know something? I _was _married to mine. And she left me. Of course ours was more of an agreement than anything else, I still loved her. Just like you love Barbie. But you'll get over it."

Keith stood silently a few moments taking in Dr. Cox's rant and said,

"But Jordan loved you."

"And you think Barbie didn't?"

With that Dr. Cox left, and Keith knew that though Dr. Cox's rant was rather commanding, uncomforting, and slightly cold. He knew it was true.

* * *

Hope you liked it! THE END.


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